Antimicrobial compositions for decontamination, disinfection and/or sanitization must have an effective microbial kill rate to be suitable for use as decontamination, disinfection and/or sanitization compositions. These antimicrobial compositions are generally desirable to be low in corrosion to the surfaces being treated and to be low in odor. In addition, these compositions generally will only contain enough of the microbial control agent to be effective for a given application. Having too much of the microbial control agent does not provide any advantages to the resulting composition, essentially wasting any excess microbial control agent in the composition. Having too little microbial control agent will make the composition less than effective than needed for its intended use.
Stabilized active halogen solutions have been used for the treatment of recirculated industrial cooling waters and are known in the art. Such products are typically used as-provided and applied at relatively low concentrations to achieve biocidal control of vegetative microbiological species in the recirculated water. Examples of stabilized active halogen solutions include Stabrex® from Nalco Inc., which is generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,942,126; 6,007,726; 5,683,654; 6,123,870; 6,136,205; 6,669,904; 6,660,307; 6,423,267; 6,156,229; BromMax® from Enviro Tech Chemicals, which is generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,045,153; 7,309,503; and 7,045,153; and Stabrom® from Albemarle, which is generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,068,861; 6,299,909; 6,306,441; 6,322,822; 6,652,889; 6,551,624; 6,511,682; 6,506,418; 6,495,169; 6,375,991; 6,352,725; 6,348,219; and 6,322,822. Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another commercially available stabilized halogen-containing solution includes Justeq, available from Justeq, LLC, Northbrook, Ill. These solutions typically contain a bromine stabilizer, such as sulfamic acid, and a source of active bromine and are generally provided to the user at elevated pH. The solutions are applied at a relatively low concentration, generally less than about 100 ppm of product, which generally translates to less than 10 ppm active halogen as Cl2. These low application rates are insufficient to significantly alter the system pH, and the thus observed efficacy is that associated with the low level active halogen applications at an elevated pH. Such utility is insufficient to achieve hard surface disinfection, sanitation or sporicidal performance targets.
Clostridium difficile, commonly called C. diff, is one of the major causes of HAIs (Hospital Acquired Infections). The difficulty in controlling C. diff. results from the durability of the spore form. Since C. diff spores are difficult to deactivate and kill, relatively high concentrations of aggressive disinfectants are required to control outbreaks when they occur. Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and peracetic acid compositions at relatively high concentrations are examples of disinfectants used that are effective against C. diff. spores. However, both chlorine bleach and peracetic acid compositions present significant environmental and handling drawbacks, most notably, but not limited to, strong odors that are considered to be noxious to most humans.
There is a need in the art for a disinfecting composition that will be effective in controlling C. diff spores without the drawbacks of chlorine bleach and peracetic acid containing compositions, as noted above.